Category Archives for "Technology"

No matter how much we all love traveling, there is a shared feeling that the act of traveling can wear one down. As much as many people do enjoy the act of flying and the experience of going to new places it can be a tiring process. Despite assumptions some travelers have, staying in at an airport hotel may actually save you money in the long run.

Many people have spoken about being on the fence in terms of whether or not they were going to stay in an airport hotel. Read on to see how you may actually save more money in the long run by choosing to book airport hotels.

Save Money

Don’t make the mistake to assume that airport hotels are automatically going to cost a lot more. In many instances, especially if you book ahead, airport hotels are on par with competitors in the area. There is also the cost associated with getting to a “cheaper” hotel outside the airport. Bear in mind too that if you are coming and going at late evening or early morning, most taxi companies will charge an even higher rate to drive you around at those times. So make sure you factor in all the costs associated with your room.

Save Time

Undoubtedly, staying at an airport hotel will save you time. Even in the best case scenario that your plane arrives on time, you quickly gather your luggage, walk out to a line of taxis and there is someone there ready to take you away, that still can add up to a lot time. Not to mention that not all taxi drivers are the same. There has been plenty a driver lost in the middle of the night trying to find your cheap hotel only to take you around in circles before finally delivering you to your location. Whether you are traveling for business or for a vacation trip, you want to maximize all the time you can.

Earn Rewards

The great news is in many instances not only can you be saving time and money, most likely you will be able to earn some great reward points. Many hotel offers are from the Hilton, Marriot, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Premier Inn and other major hotel lines.

Be Refreshed

Perhaps still one of the biggest benefits to booking an airport hotel is you will be more refreshed and better able to ward off the ill effects of jet lag. Even if you do not have terribly long lay overs, if it’s enough to catch a few hours of shut eye, it might be well worth it for you. If you are traveling for business, ensuring you are well rested to make the best decisions possible will be a key component to making the most of your trip. If you are traveling for leisure or recreation, you will want to be able to maximize all of your precious vacation time. You want to do everything you can to lessen jet lag and traveler fatigue so you can enjoy as much of your trip as possible.

As you plan out your next business trip or vacation, don’t assume that staying in an airport hotel will cost you more money. In a lot of ways, it can save you a lot more than money in the end.

Bitcoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency payment system that was released to the public in 2009, but became popular in the last few years. There is a cap of 21 million bitcoins and this finite number has made some investors view Bitcoin in a similar way to gold (which is a finite resource). With the significant gains that the currency has made over the last few years, investors around the world have been buying and investing in bitcoin.

How to Invest in Bitcoin

Different countries have different ways of buying bitcoins and you need to understand the options available in your country before you can begin investing in Bitcoin. Developed countries have more options available and there is higher liquidity in these countries as well.

The simplest way to invest in bitcoin is to buy it from an established firm that buys and sells the cryptocurrency. You can buy from a company where it is even possible to set up auto-buy orders for bitcoins. These automatic buys generally do not give you a choice in the price you pay for the bitcoins. There are companies that operate across the world. There are also companies that pair potential bitcoin buyers and sellers with the exchange taking place offline. Alternatively, it is possible to trade in bitcoin on a bitcoin exchange. There is relatively high liquidity in the Bitcoin market with people always available to buy or sell. The price of bitcoin is set by what people are prepared to pay and is generally listed as the price of one bitcoin. However, sites often allow you to buy a set amount, even less than one bitcoin.

Before you invest in Bitcoin it is worthwhile to analyze charts and historical data. As Bitcoin is a global currency it is important to look at global politics and economics, as opposed to local issues, when considering how Bitcoin’s price will be affected. There are tools that can be used to analyze Bitcoin charts.

Investing in Bitcoin for the Average Person

Bitcoin has many attractions, particularly its gain over the last few years. It gained more than 300% from 2011 to 2012 and in the last year it has gained around 400%. In the first half of 2014, venture capitalist companies made 57 million investments in Q1 and 73 million investments in Q2. However, bitcoin is a particularly volatile currency which can be inactive for long period of time and then swing up and down in short periods of time. Bitcoin cycles can last only a year or so, which is a much shorter timeframe than stocks. This volatility means that bitcoin may not be a suitable investment option for the average person.

Conclusion

Bitcoin has been around for less than a decade making it a new currency and new investment opportunity. Before you begin considering investing in Bitcoin it is important to understand how Bitcoin works, the impact that global politics and economics can have on Bitcoin and the impact that Bitcoin can have on the world.

Mobile payments are a new way that business owners are extending their reach. With a portable swipe machine, your business can easily be on the go, offering services with payments on-site or product delivery. There are many ways that going mobile can help your business to reach a wider audience of consumers and build a stronger bottom line. Read on to see how you can benefit.

Branching Out

Depending on the type of business you operate, you will find that mobile payments will be of benefit by allowing you to branch out with your product or service offering. Consider a company that offers food delivery service. In the past, deliveries would require cash payment on site or check. With a portable card reader, your delivery personnel can take credit or debit card payments. This opens up your business to more customers as consumers in today’s society pay more with plastic than cash money.

Events

A great way to open up your business to new markets is to take part in events or conventions. A free credit card machine reader allows you to take your business on the go. Gone are the days when a traditional card reader has to be lugged around and connected to a cash register. Simply use the mobile option to be able to provide a method of payment for customers. Easily keep track of sales information and be paid quickly when using such options as the mobile credit card payment solutions from Merchant Account Solutions.

At Merchant Account Solutions, business owners have access to a mobile credit card processor, helping to assist with quick and simple payment methods for your customers. One option is to use an iPhone or iPad to install the SmartSwipe mobile card reader. This turns your mobile device into a debit or credit terminal. Have access to signature capture, tip functions, tax calculator, text and email receipts and more.

By integrating mobile solutions into your business, you have yet another level of service to provide your customers which means even more business for you!

Maybe you have traveled before, be it for holidays, business or a long term trip. Having the best knowledge to manage your trip well and to help you enjoy all of the experiences along the way is important when setting out. Having traveled, I have put together five tips to help you with your travels.

Be an early riser

Wake up for sunrise to have the best locations and views all to yourself. Sunrise is a spectacular time for snapping some photos due to the unique light. Higher risk or “dodgy” areas are also less threatening in the morning times too. If you’re on a long term trip, then having some time to yourself can be a nice way to appreciate life, free from distractions.

Have some humility

In years to come, you will look back on your travels and remember all of the times when you felt like you looked like a fool. When you’re in a new place with different languages and traditions, it’s very easy to feel vulnerable or silly for not knowing something or doing something in a different way. But don’t get embarrassed, just laugh at yourself and take a deep breath. Don’t fear failure and remember to empathise with peoples customs.

Extra cash is king!

All over the world, cash is still king. In the event of an emergency, stashing some cash in multiple places is a good idea just to cover yourself. I would suggest a couple hundred pound/dollars/euros worth at least. That way, if you do happen to lose your wallet, if your debit/credit card stops functioning, or if ATMs actually run out of cash, you’ll be safe as you will have your stash!

Examples of places to stash your extra cash would be under shoe insoles, in your socks, in a toiletry bag, or in a secret compartment in your bag.

Meet Local People

Many places will be full of travelers, depending where you go and what the purpose of your trip is. You should make it your business to avoid fellow travelers for some of your trip and strike up conversations with the local people. Generally, basic English is the language of world. So relax, it is much easier to communicate than you may have thought, especially combining body language and tone of voice.

The locals may teach you a traditional cooking method or some unique music. The people you meet will enrich your travels much more than sights will.

Patience is a virtue

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Whatever is thrown at you, life is too short to be annoyed or frustrated for any longer than a minute!

Miss your bus or train? Not to worry, there will be another one shortly.

Wifi goes down for an hour? Great! Talk to a human being or take an unplanned trip over to closest village and look around. Have patience.

The bottom line is

You will figure it all out as you go. Stuff will happen, your direction might change. That’s life.

Have you decided to take the leap and go travelling for the first time?

Fo many, this is a daunting prospect and may involve quitting your job or taking unpaid extended leave. Leaving a job, family and friends behind you is by no means an easy thing to do but once you bite the bullet and book your first flight you’ll be well on your way to a more exciting appreciative life as you venture through he world. For your first trip, knowing what to pack and what not to pack is a big dilemma.

You’ll find as you go through your travels that you will often unload clothes and/or non essentials, maybe selling them or donating them to save space and weight for your rucksack. Having the correct information about local visas, currencies, taxes, transport and accommodation are so important as well or you might find yourself overwhelmed.

I’ve put together a checklist of seven useful tips for the newbie traveller below. These are a solid foundation to get you started on your way.

7 useful tips for first time travellers

1. Get your passport in order Having your passport well in date is a simple but very often overlooked thing to do before you go jet setting. It’s easy to forget when your passport expires and if you do not use it frequently, you might have no reason to check that the date doesn’t expire soon! The last thing you want is to discover on the day of your flight that your passport just expired. Also, when you are on your trip make sure to check the date before you intend to book a flight home, as you may be gone on a long term trip so have forgotten about your passport altogether.

2. Get your phone sorted out You might think that keeping your current phone plan and phone is a good idea but with roaming charges and signal issues, you are probably better of starting from scratch with a local option. This all depends on where you ware visiting and for how long. Be sensible, don’t go spending a fortune on a new top of the range smart phone for the sake of a month trip! There are great plans available for sim cards and basic phones too. After all, you don’t want to be on your phone 24/7 while you travel. That kind of defeats the purpose of experiencing travel in its best form.

3. Don’t go somewhere too remote or crazy If you are traveling solo, maybe go somewhere that is well known and reviewed enough online. Talk to other who have gone to where you want to go. Keep an eye on local current affairs and laws etc. Some countries have laws that you might deem as crazy but which is normal practise to them. Do your research and learn as mush as you can about the pitfalls and challenges of your destination. There are numerous offline and online guides, books and blogs that can help you to understand your trip better, from foods and vaccines to visas and crime issues.

4. Get the right luggage gear Bring a good quality comfortable backpack and/or small gadget bag if you are bringing a camera, tablet or laptop. There are loads of great bags out there online and many of the travel and outdoor-adventure shops stock great options. Remember you want to pack lightly and try to use a strict “in or out” policy with yourself. In addition to having the right bags or cases, you should have some locks and name tags to identify and protect your baggage on the road, or when you have to wait at the luggage collection belt.

5. Travel insurance (belongings and health cover) Depending on where you are going, there are varying degrees of local safety theft and crime and general health risks that may be more evident in certain parts of the country or region you are visiting. Having a good insurance plan is crucial, no matter what length of time you plan to go for. If you will be taking part in outdoor / adventure activities then you should make sure that you have the best insurance cover to cater for these, as some companies and policies won’t cover certain activities.

6. Make digital backups Make a digital copy of your passport, drivers license, itinerary, flights, boarding passes and insurance information. Also, make a digital copy of any required visas you may need. You never know, you might lose your paper documents, your luggage could go missing in transit or worse again it could get stolen, leaving you without important documents. Before you leave, make a copy of whatever you can and put them on a password protected USB key and also create a password protected Dropbox or Google Drive folder with eh digital copies in them. That way, you can access them from any computer online or with your USB key.

7. Be open to staying in hostelsStaying in hostels is one of the best ways to meet other backpackers and travellers on your journey. There are too many great hostels around the world, it just depends on where you are going and what your likes and budgets are. Beware though, that hostels are basic in nature and also that you may end up sharing a random bunk bed or share in a 16 bed dorm room! This is normal. Hostels are cheap and great fun and most of them have solid wifi access.

To wrap up • Travel lightly and protect your luggage • Stay where your budget will permit, hostels and camping are great options for low budgets • Back up your documents to a USB key and some cloud storage service • Check that passport well before you book a flight and actually fly • Do your research and don’t go anywhere too crazy or off the beaten track • Buy a local phone or sim plan (depending on your trip’s length) • Get yourself insured and any valuable gadgets too.

Have you ever wondered why some people like or share certain things, I certainly have? Nowadays, an account on social media has become our digital ID. We all have different personalities, behavior, and patterns and various social media give us an opportunity to express ourselves. But, at what cost, have we lost a tough with reality and is our personal life at risk? Not many people would agree with this statement because for them networks such as Facebook and Twitter are a way to relax and have some fun.

Does social media reflect your personality

I could say that in some way this is true. Based on our personality we will share individual posts, like specific pages and accept friends based on our character. The social media is now representing our personality in a digital world. But, this all can be deceiving as well, we might be under the influence of some online trends, so we decide to share and like concrete posts. For example, I have a Facebook account, and I am an active user, sometimes I just publish or post something which is popular at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I am thrilled about those things. Many people act in the same way, just to get the bigger number of comments or likes. In this case, I just want to give you the two sides of the same coin. It all depends on the personality of the individual.

Social media can change you

With the use of social media, you get a chance to change and design your brand or your name. But, that doesn’t mean you are the same person in real life. Many people use networks like Twitter and Facebook to promote their business and to increase popularity. We often fail to mention the things we consider our fault, but we highlight other parts of our personality and appearance we believe are the best. Social media accounts used in this way, in most cases are deceiving, and we have a hard time recognizing what is the truth and what is the lie. On the other hand, some people use social media to promote their personality the statement “you are what you share” can be applied to them. You just need to be able to recognize them.

Do your posts and likes really describe you?

It all depends on a person, as we already mentioned, there are two types of people on social media. One type is in search on popularity and likes, and the other kind is here to express its personality and thoughts through posts, pictures, and likes. I would say that 50% of users are honest and the other half is just pretending.

As a professional blogger, I understand the importance of privacy, especially since will all live in a world of smartphones and Facebook. Unfortunately, not all people are aware how social media can be a dangerous place to store your private information. Nowadays, everything has become transparent, I personally don’t have a problem with that, but at some point, you need to draw the line and set up some boundaries. There are just some things that should stay private. In this blog post, I am going to discuss privacy and how you can protect your personal information.

Think before you share

Many social media users like to share pictures from their trips. In some way, this can be an interesting way to tell your friends about the places you have visited. But, what happens if someone abuses your personal information, especially if you have posted photos of your children. Luckily, nowadays, many social media have found the way to help you limit the flow of information. You now have an option, to publish posts only your friends can see. But, it’s up to you if you are going to use it. I strongly advise you to utilize this option because the safety of you and your family is one of the most important things.

Think who are your friends

Even though Facebook promotes a rigorous measure against an invasion of privacy, you can never be safe enough. Reflect on the list of friend you have on this social network and how well do you know them. We have many examples where people accept “friends” without even knowing them. This is a reckless and very dangerous decision because you don’t know who is behind those accounts. They might just be spying you to get more information about you, for example, who is your family, where do you travel, where do you live? Next time you accept someone as a friend on any social media, think about these things.

Lock your posts

If you own a personal social media account and you have no interest promoting your business or blog, I suggest you to lock your posts and your account. This is the safest way to protect yourself. For example, if you are traveling to some remote destination, someone who became friend with you for a particular purpose, can see your posts, know where you are, and rob your house.

Considering that millions of people are active on Facebook, this social media has become a new Google. Ever since Facebook implemented ads on its platform, many users discover new things, places, and gadgets through them. In the last decade, Facebook has become a massive mega force and now is changing the way how people think and behave. So, let’s see how Facebook is affecting traveling.

It promotes travel applications

Many tech companies use Facebook for the purpose of marketing. They market their apps on this social media, where many people have access to it. So, in this way, they shape the public’s opinion and affect their choice of destination. Recently, many travel apps have appeared on Facebook, and people started using them as a very convenient solution to choose or review a certain destination. Now, users have a chance to see what is right for them and what to avoid. In the past, this has been passed along in person, but now people have become a part of this virtual community where everything is transparent.

Hotels, resorts, and tourist organization apps

Sites like Facebook are used as an excellent online marketing because of the vast accessibility. Many hotels, resorts, and tourist agency target people through this social media. They are offering them a possibility to download their app, through Facebook. Many users will seize this chance to explore something new, to connect with people and to hear their experience, rather than trying something for the first time on their own. Through these apps, you can book and pay for the hotel room, read the reviews of other users and explore interesting things site can offer you. The Facebook application trends have become a powerful weapon, which has one goal, to attract a bigger number of visitors to a certain destination and they are succeeding in that.